Major drive to reduce energy demand
Monday, 05 March 2007

CEF (Pty) Ltd, in conjunction with the Department of Science & Technology (DST) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) today launched a major solar water heating intervention which is one of the initiatives which are intended to address the energy crisis in the country.

The event, which was led by the Minister of Science and Technology, Mr Mosibudi Mangena and the Group CEO of CEF (Pty) Ltd Mr Mputumi Damane, saw the commissioning of an imported solar water heater Test Rig, which is the first of its kind on the African continent.

The function, which was held at the South African Bureau of Standards (SABS) in Pretoria, also marked the launch of a national awareness campaign to promote the uptake of solar water heating devices, in a bid to improve electricity demand management and curb greenhouse gas emissions.

Today’s event was a first step in a major intervention which will see 500 solar water heating units installed over the next six months.

The project, known as SWH500, is funded jointly by CEF and the UNDP.

"Many of our people still take the existing sources of energy for granted. But in light of the looming crisis not only in our country but all over the world in relation to the depletion of natural resources and the threat of climate change, urgent steps need to be taken to encourage our people to consider alternative and clean sources of energy," said Mr Damane.

CEF is a public company which is a market leader in the quest for alternative energy solutions to meet the needs of South Africa, SADC countries and sub-Saharan Africa.

The SWH500 project will be piloted in three provinces – Gauteng, the Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal – from the beginning of March 2007.

The first 500 solar water heating systems sold in the three provinces – on an equal split of 166 units per province – will be subsidised. The subsidy will vary from R3 000 to R6 000 per unit depending on the size of the unit and the date of purchase.

"The solar water heating market has considerable potential to leverage electricity savings, increase employment opportunities, improve electricity demand management and reduce greenhouse gas emissions," said Mr Damane.

"Although a wide range of products are available on the market, the industry is faced with severe limitations in terms of the standardisation of solar water heating units, awareness, affordability and financing, which ultimately prevents widespread technology adaptation."

To address this impediment CEF, in conjunction with the DST, has imported the Test Rig from the University of Stuttgart in Germany.

All units which will be sold through the SWH500 project will have been tested through the new Rig to maintain the highest standards.

The Rig has been installed at the SABS in Pretoria.

Names of accredited providers of solar water heating units whose products have been tested through the Rig will be published in the media. Only units bought from them will qualify for the CEF/UNDP subsidy.

Initially, middle to high income households will be targeted by the SWH500 project. At a later stage the project will be rolled out to lower income households.

For further information contact:

Mrs Nadia Moosa at (011)280-0340

Mr Dominic Milazi at (011)280- 0431